Automatic scalpel



P 1937. w. P. B. NEMZEK v2,092,812

AUTOMATIC S CALPEL Filed March 10. 1956 INVENTOR WIN/am RB. Nemze/r &. a

ATTORNEY 50 provided with a flange l3.

Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SCALPEL William P. B. Nemzek, North Arlington, N. J. Application March 10, 1936, Serial No. 68,021

8 Claims.

The invention relates to an automatic scalpel to be used by physicians in lancing certain types of infection such as boils, abscesses, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of extreme simplicity. A further object is to provide a device which is easily manipulated and is most efficient in operation.

It is a well known fact that a patient will view with alarm the knife or scalpel in the doctors hand and will thus become nervous and make a simple lancing operation most troublesome for the doctor. In using the present invention the patient practically does not see the scalpel. The apparatus is placed over the infection to be lanced and the operation is .done so expeditiously and rapidly the patient is hardly aware of it before it is completed. Thus the doctors work is greatly simplified and the wear and tear on the patients nerves is eliminated.

00 In lancing most infections it is necessary to inject some local anesthetic, freeze them or give a general anesthesia before cutting. In using the present invention the work is done so quickly and painlessly one can avoid any type of anesthetic.

257 Other objects and advantages will becomeapparent as this specification proceeds. Referring to the drawing forming a part thereof:

Fig. l is a side elevation, the parts being in the position they would assume before the blade has 30 been released;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the parts being in the position they would assume after the blade has been projected through the infection;

. 5 Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the adjustable rest and its supporting bar;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail cross sectional views taken on the lines 5-5 and 66, respectively, of 40 Fig. 1; and

I Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another form of the invention.

Referring again to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, the reference numeral ,45 Ill designates what may be termed a holder. As

illustrated, this holder is tubular in form and has a closed end H which forms a bearing for a longitudinally movable member or plunger l2.

At its intermediate portion the plunger I2 is The flange l3 has a sliding contact with the interior surface of the tubular holder ID. This bearing, in addition to the bearing formed in the closed end ll of the holder, causes the plunger to travel in a straight "55 line and insures against the possibility of the beyond the limit of movement of the blade.

plunger canting or wobbling. A spring I4 is interposed between the flanges l3 and the closed end ll of the holder and this spring normally urges the plunger in what is termed, only for reasons of orientation, a forward direction. 7 5

Suitable means are provided for preventing any rotation of the plunger. As illustrated this means comprises a key or strip l5 which is secured to the inner Wall of .the holder by screws l6 and engages a flattened side or slabbed off 10 portion ll of the flanges l3.

The forward end of the plunger l2 carries a blade or knife 29. This blade is made of extremely thin high, grade steel and its forward edge androunded lower part are sharpened. The 1. blade is preferably provided with a sheath 2| and the blade and its sheath pass through and are vertically adjustable in a rectangular hole 22 in the plunger. A thumb screw 23 is threaded into the plunger and its inner end impinges on the sheath 2|. After the knife or blade has been properly adjusted as to position and the thumb screw 23 is tightened theblade is firmly held against vertical movement. The shape of the aperture '22 prevents any possibility of a rocking r movement.

The rear end of the plunger I2 is provided with 'a knob or handle '25 which is secured in position by a set screw 26. the plunger rearwardly and compress the The knob 25 is utilized to draw spring I4.

The plunger I2 is provided with a plurality of notches 21 any one of which may be engaged by a trigger 28 pivoted at 29 in ears struck up from the holder Ill. The trigger is'normally urged toward the plunger by a light spring 30. It will thus be apparent that the throw of the knife may be controlled.

The doctor will determine the amount of throw of the blade in accordance with the size of the 40 infection to be lanced. The plunger will be withdrawn and the trigger engaged with the desired notch. After the device has been positioned over the infection with the blade properly adjusted the forward part of the trigger is pressed and the blade is instantaneously projected through the infection.

An adjustable rest 3! is positioned forwardlly This rest is adjusted both vertically and horizontally. In lancing a small boil or abscess the rest is advantageously movedrearwardly or closer to the blade. The opposite would be true in the lancing of a large sized infection. The vertical adjustment is used in conjunction with the vertical adjustment of the blade to control the depth of the cut.

The vertical and horizontal adjustment of the rest 3! may be accomplished in various manners. As illustrated the rest is carried by an overhanging arm 32 secured to the holder 10 by the screws IS. A block 33 is provided with a horizontal slot 34 to accommodate the guide arm 3| and a vertical slot 35 in which the stem of therest 3| is guided. A plate 36 is suitably secured over the open ends of the slots 34 and 35and a thumb screw 31 is threaded into the plate. The thumb screw 31 engages the guide arm 32 which in turn is pressed against the stem of the holder 3| and the stem is confined against the bottom of -the slot 35. It will be apparent that by loosening the thumb screw 3l'the rest may be adjusted hori-' zontally or vertically. H T. :7

If desired an additional rest All maybe secured to the forward portion of the holder l and this rest may be adjustable vertically and horizontally if desired.

Fig. 7 illustrates a. somewhat different form of the invention; In. this form the throw of the plungerl 2 is controlled by positioning the rest 3 l. The plunger is provided with only one 'notch' 21a which is engaged by the trigger 28. If only a small amount of movement of the blade is desired the rest 3! is moved closer to the holder [8 and acts as a stop for the plunger. 'In' this form the auxiliary rest 40 has been omitted.

Changes in details of construction and arrangements of parts such as would occur to one skilled in'the art are to be' considered as coming within the spirit of the invention as setforth in the appended claims. i

1. An automatic scalpel having in combination a holder, 'a longitudinally movable member carried by said holder, ablade carried by said longitudinally movable member, resilient means normally urging said longitudinally movablemember in one direction, means carried by said holder for releasing said longitudinally movable member after said resilient vmeans has been compressed and cause said longitudinally movable'member and-the blade carried thereby to be rapidly projected from said holder, and a restpositioned beyond the limit of movement of said blade,said

rest extending away from said holder in substantially the same direction as said blade so. as to act as a support while said blade is being projected.

2. An automatic scalpel having in combination a holder, a longitudinally movable member carried bysaid holder, a blade carried by said longitudinally movable member, means whereby said blade may be raised or lowered, resilient means normally urging said longitudinally movablememher in one direction, means carried by said holder for releasing said longitudinally movable member 7 after said resilient means has been compressed and cause said longitudinally movable member and the blade carried thereby to be rapidly projected from said holder, a rest positioned beyond the limit of movement of said blade, and means whereby said rest may be raised or lowered and adjusted in a longitudinal direction.

3. An automatic scalpel having inicombination a holder, a longitudinally movable member carried by said holder, a blade carried at the forward end of said longitudinally movable member, re-

,silient means normally urging said longitudinally movable member in a forward direction, means carried by said holder for releasing'said longi- I ried by said holder, a blade carried at the forward end of said longitudinally movable member, means whereby said blade may be raised or lowered, resilient means normally urging said longitudinally movable member in a forward'direction,

means carried'by said holder for releasing said longitudinally movable member after said resilientmeans has been compressed and cause said i longitudinally movable member and the blade carried thereby to be'rapidlyprojected in'a forward direction, a'rest carried by said holder and positioned forwardly beyond the limit of move- .ment of said blade, and means whereby said rest may be raised or lowered and adjusted in'a longitudinal direction. 7, 5. An automatic scalpel having in combination i a holder, a plunger slidably mounted in said holder, a blade carried by the forward end of said,

plunger, means whereby said blade may be raised or lowered, spring means normally urging said plunger in a forwarddirection, a trigger carried byv said holder for releasing'said plunger-after said spring means has been compressed and cause said plunger and the blade carriedthereby to be rapidly projected in a forward direction, an overhanging arm carried by said holder, a rest carried by said arm and positioned forwardly beyond the limit of movement of said blade, and means, whereby said rest may be raised or lowered and adjusted longitudinally. s 1

V 6; An automatic scalpel having in combination a holder, a plunger slidably mounted in said holder, a blade carried by the forward end of said, plunger; means whereby said blade may be raised or loweredga spring'encircling said-plungerand normally u'rgingsaid plunger'in aforward direc- --tion, means for preventing said plunger from rotating, a trigger carried by said holder for releasing said plunger aftersaid spring. has been compressed and cause said plunger and the-blade carried thereby to be rapidly projected in a forward direction, an overhanging arm carriedv by said holder, a rest carried bysaid arm and positioned; forwardly beyond the limit .of movement Of'said blade, and means whereby said rest maybe raised or'lowered and'adjust'ed longitudinally.

7. An automatic scalpel having in combination a holder, a plunger slidably mounted insai'd holder, a blade carried at the forward endof said plunger, means whereby said blade may beraised and lowered, spring means normally urging said plunger in a forward direction,-meanscarriedby said holder for releasing said plunger 'aftersaid, spring means has been compressed j and :cause H said plunger and the blade carried thereby to be rapidly projected in a forward direction,--a-rest carried by'said holder .and positioned forwardly 'beyond the limit of movement of said-blade, said rest being. adapted to actjras a stop for-"said plunger in its forward movement, and means whereby said rest maybe raised and lowered.- and adjusted in alongitudinal-direction.

8'. .An automatic scalpel having in combination:

a holder, a plunger slidably mounted in said holder, a blade carried at the forward end of said plunger, means whereby said blade may be raised and lowered, spring means normally urging said plunger in a forward direction, means carried by said holder for releasing said plunger after said spring means has been compressed and cause said plunger and the blade carried thereby to be rapidly projected in a forward direction, a rest carried by said holder and positioned forwardly beyond the limit of movement of aid blade, means whereby said rest may be raised and lowered and adjusted in a longitudinal direction, and an auxiliary rest carried by-said holder.

WILLIAM P. B. NEMZEK. 

